Terms and Conditions

1. Booking Your Road Trip

1.1 Procedure

Dragon Roads acts as a specialized travel agent for self-drive travel in China.

Customization: You can use our website to create your own custom trip or select from an existing itinerary proposed by us.

Support: Contact us at any time to ask questions or request modifications to your itineraries. We will get back to you with a quote within 24 business hours.

Confirmation: Once you are satisfied with your trip details and the provided quote, you may confirm your booking and proceed to the payment page. Furthermore, a booking is considered valid and binding only after Dragon Roads has received the required deposit and issued both a payment receipt.

Funds Received: As a Canadian travel agency, all funds received are protected according to Quebec law.

Payment Method: The initial deposit is required to secure your booking.

2. Trip Cancellation

If you need to cancel all or part of a trip, the cancellation is subject to the following cancellation fees. The time of the cancellation is when we receive your cancellation request in writing.

2.1 Road Trip Packages

• Within 72 hours of booking: FREE cancellation (100% refund).
• From 72 hours after booking up to 46 days before departure: 20% of the total trip value is retained.
• 45 to 15 days before departure: 50% of the total trip value is retained.
• Less than 15 days before departure: 100% of the total trip value is retained (No refund).

Domestic Flights: For domestic flights within China that are part of the trip package, the 72-hour free cancellation applies. After that period, cancellation fees are determined by the airline's own fare rules and a $50 CAD per person administrative fee applies for processing flight cancellations.

3. Entry Requirements & Driving Documents

Driving in China requires specific legal documentation.

Visas: You must obtain a valid Chinese Visa to enter China, if required, based on your country of citizenship.

Driver Qualification: To apply for a temporary Chinese driving permit, you must:

• Possess a valid driver's license from your country.
• Be at least 18 years old (for rental vehicle use).
• Have no record of hit-and-run traffic offenses in China.
• Have no unresolved traffic violations or pending penalty points requiring education/exams.
• Provide valid, complete, and consistent documentation, and be willing to complete a brief road safety law orientation before receiving the permit.
• If you are aged 70 or older, you must pass a driving capability test at an approved theory test center before applying.

Our Responsibility: Dragon Roads is responsible for informing you of the required documentation and the specific conditions for obtaining a temporary Chinese driving license. We are also responsible for collecting and translating the necessary documents and providing remote support through our office in China during the permit process.

Client Responsibility: It remains your responsibility to provide accurate and valid documents (e.g., passport copies, valid domestic licenses). If you are denied a temporary permit locally due to undisclosed medical conditions or license invalidity, Dragon Roads cannot be held responsible and we will not be able to issue a refund for the trip.

4. Car Rental

Dragon Roads partners with trusted local car rental providers to ensure your self-drive journey across China is smooth and safe. These terms apply to all bookings that include a rental vehicle.

Independent Contract: All vehicle rentals are booked and paid for directly by you. The car rental agreement is an independent contract between you and the rental service provider. Dragon Roads acts solely as an intermediary providing guidance and assistance.

Liability: Dragon Roads shall not be held liable for any breach of contract, service delays, vehicle conditions, mechanical failures, or safety accidents involving third-party rental providers. Any disputes or claims arising from the rental must be resolved directly with the rental agency.

5. Making Changes to Your Trip

Before Departure: You may add activities or extend your stay if availability permits. Changes should generally increase the value of the trip. An administrative fee of $50 per person could apply. Please note that any changes are subject to availability and we cannot guarantee that all requested modifications can be accommodated.

Decreasing Value: If changes result in a lower total trip value, the difference is treated as a cancellation and subject to the fees in Section 2.

6. Unused Services

Refunds cannot be provided for services missed or unused during the trip, including after arrival. This includes, but is not limited to: unused kilometers, unused hotel nights or car rental days, missed meals or accommodation due to late arrivals, or activities missed due to flight delays.

7. Force Majeure

Dragon Roads may cancel your trip by providing notice before departure, but only in the event of exceptional or unavoidable circumstances that make it impossible or unreasonably dangerous to operate the trip. Such circumstances defined as "Force Majeure" include, but are not limited to: serious safety threats to participants or staff, major natural disasters, government-imposed travel restrictions, or other extraordinary events beyond the control of Dragon Roads that fundamentally compromise the viability or safety of the trip.

If your trip is interrupted or cancelled due to Force Majeure events occurring during the trip, we will make reasonable efforts to provide alternative arrangements or accommodations.

In such cases of Force Majeure, Dragon Roads will strive to minimize costs and you may apply for a refund with the Travel Agents' Compensation Fund (FICAV).

8. Travel Insurance

Dragon Roads strongly advises all travelers to obtain comprehensive travel insurance covering medical expenses, repatriation, trip cancellation, delays, loss of personal belongings, and civil liability. It is your sole responsibility to ensure your insurance is adequate and in effect for the entirety of your trip.

9. Prices and Taxes

Total Price: Unless otherwise indicated, all prices shown are the total price including applicable taxes and fees.

Exclusions: We guarantee the price once the deposit is paid, excluding costs which are not included in the package price (e.g., fuel, tolls, parking, or personal expenses).

9.1 Price Adjustments & Exchange Rate Fluctuations

The price of your travel services is fixed at the time of contract signing. However, Dragon Roads reserves the right to adjust the price in the event of an exchange rate increase. Such an increase is justified only if the exchange rate applicable forty-five (45) days prior to the service delivery date has increased by more than 5% since the date you entered into the contract.

Pursuant to Quebec law, should the price increase be equal to or greater than 7% of the original price, you may choose to: a) accept the change; or b) refuse the increase and cancel the contract with a full refund.

No price increases shall occur within thirty (30) days prior to the service delivery date.

10. Accommodation & Itinerary

Substitution: We will make our best effort to secure the accommodation specified in your itinerary. However, we reserve the right to substitute hotels for others of similar or better quality if necessary.

Road Conditions & Modifications: In rare cases of weather-related or safety concerns, Dragon Roads reserves the right to modify or cancel affected services. You will be offered a suitable alternative or full refund of cancelled services.

11. Air Travel

Contract: The legal contract for carriage is strictly between you and the airline. Dragon Roads acts solely as a facilitating agent for air travel bookings.

Compliance: You are responsible for verifying flight schedules 24 hours before departure and for paying any excess baggage fees.

Claims: In the event of lost or damaged luggage, a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) must be filed directly with the airline at the airport.

12. Responsibilities & Liability

Agent Role: Dragon Roads acts as an agent for third-party providers such as hotels, car rentals, airlines and activities. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we are not liable for their failure to perform, except for errors caused directly by our employees' gross negligence. For car rental-specific liability, see Section 4.

Client Conduct: All travelers must comply with all local laws of China.

13. Privacy & Personal Data (Law 25)

We value your privacy. Your personal information is collected and processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Quebec's Act Respecting the Protection of Personal Information in the Private Sector.

By booking with us, you consent to the collection, use, and transfer of your personal data (including transfer to China) as necessary to fulfill your travel arrangements.

14. Complaint Resolution

If you encounter a problem during your trip, please inform Dragon Roads immediately so that we can attempt to rectify the matter. If the issue remains unresolved, please submit a written complaint or refund claim no later than 28 days after the completion of your trip. Claims not submitted within that period shall lapse.

We will investigate any complaint and aim to respond within 30 days.

15. Interpretation and Jurisdiction

This agreement is governed by the laws of the Province of Quebec, Canada. Any dispute shall be settled before the courts of the Province of Quebec, judicial district of Montreal.

Language Clause: The parties have requested that this agreement and all related documents be drawn up in English. Les parties ont exigé que la présente convention et tous les documents connexes soient rédigés en anglais.